The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-12-06
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The LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
THURSDAY. Dec. l. 1857.

rI.r1IIoNS.
Rep. Paehaole presented a petition
from several residents complaining OF
the way the Government is appropri-
ating water in the valleys and praying
That the matter be set right, and con-
tanning several other prayers.
Referred to the Minister of Interior.
Rep. Helekunihi presented a petit
ton from one II. p Halama, Maui,
praying that the sum of s. 30 over
paid taxes be refunded him.
Laid on the table till next session.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
The Judiciary Committee reported
on The petition of AIessrs. 7. H. Davies
& Co. for return of duties, illegally
collected on fertilizers. Committee
recommend that this matter lay over
until the May session, as the supple
mentary appropriation bill has passed
third reading and the Minister of FL
nance has no authority to pay the
$50 30 claimed.
The report was adopted.
Noble Castle read a report of the
Committee on Opium and Liquors, on
the opium business, and submitted
draft OF a bill to repeal the opium
license Act and TO re-enact former pro-
hibitory laws. Following is the re-
port:
THE OPIUM LICENSE.
The select committee to which was
referred certain petitions and resolu-
tons with statements relating to
opium, respectfully report as follows:
They have had several meetings and
consultations relative to said matters
and they find:
That while ii is true that very con-
siderable revenue is derived from
duties, stamps, fee for license and fees,
since the Act of 1856 relative to the
importation and sale of opium went
into effect, such revenue is not so very
greatly in excess of that derived from
sales OF cOnliscated opium and fines
under the former prohibitive statute.
1t is Il fair question for consideration
whether the only revenue derived
from such source should not
be from fines, costs and re-
ceipts from sales on confiscation,
in the attempt to suppress and eradi-
cate the vice of using opium. 1t is no
longer a question whether the use of
opium is injurious; that is long since
settled and it is the bounden duty of
every civilized country to use every
effort to stamp out the curse. 1t is the
argument of those who favor a license
system that by such control well regu-
lated the evil can best be controlled
and finally wholly eradicated., Your
committee believe that as far at least
rs Hawaii is concerned, the latter argu-
ment is wholly at fault. II is notori-
Gus that in former years the use of
opium, when licensed, was introduced
among the Hawaiians and rapidly
spread. 1t was then a licensed vice
and SO long as not contrary to law it
rapidly increased. Those who best
know, the magistrates and officers of
ustice, are nearly or quite unani-
nous, that from 1874 to 1886, when
the possession or importation of opium
vas strictly prohibiteditsu use among
i've Hawaiian very much decreased and
certainly did not gain ground or spread
among the Chinese or others. On the
contrary, ii was difficult to get opium,
9erilous to have it. and those whose
interests were the most affected by the
vice found that its use was not increas-
Dg and that the annoyance and loss
hereby caused decreased rather than
lie contrary. of course, your commit
zee recognize and acknowledge the fact
hat large amounts of opium were con-
SANITY smuggled and sold. But they |
10 not therefore admit that prohibit |
ION was failure. 1t is also true that |
he pr0hibitOry statutes were some |
What defective.
IN 1886, the Legislature changed the |
policy of the country in this matter |
nd enacted the now celebrated and |
lotOrious opium license statute. If it |
pc admitted, for the sake of argument, |
hat the intention of the Legislature |
vas praiseWorthy and intended to cur |
all and restrict the opium vice; then it |
must be admitted that their laudable |
nd noble desires most signally failed |
nd were defeated. For we find scat |
cred over the country about twenty |
said to be- licensed depots for the sale |
f opium, and agents whose business
to induce people TO purchase opium.
he Legislature in pursuance of this
ioble intention provided that no one
hould be allowed TO use opium except |
uch diseased persons as required opium
S cure. Instead of carrying out this
rise provision of virtuous and patri-
tic Assembly, we find that a large
lumber of sO-called Chinese doctors
uddenly sprang into existence, took
ut licenses and began to treat their
iseased countrymen by prescribing
plum for every ailment under the sun
uch rs "belly ache" "sore toe" "hi,n
bad cold,n Cough "opium habit"
nd multitude of other disorders. 1t
absolutely clear that such doings
onstituted only a fraud, and leads
eople to doubt whether there might
OF have been some deceit and fraud
idden in the Act, and intended there.
fact, your committee are of the
pinion that SO mOnstrous and dis
raeeful a piece of legislation never
efore blotted the pages of our statute
ooks
1t is a generally admitted fact that
nee the opium has become again
.censed its use has rapidly increased, |
OF only among Chinese but with
1hers. One man in Hamakua, Hawaii,
well-known native residing there,
lys that under the former license,